California Son

Hank's father dies. Despite the memories of his father floating to the surface, he doesn't want to go to the funeral. Meanwhile, he goes to bed with a hooker named Trixie, despite the fact he doesn't have enough money to pay her.

Storyline

When Hank's father dies, he refuses to attend the funeral. He never forgave his dad for being as unfaithful as himself, while his ma was an old-fashioned Catholic. Like Hank, he spent his days seeking sex, never mind family, like visiting an old 'bed friend' rather then spending time with Becca. Hank takes out his frustrations on the film crew and Trixie, the call-girl he was trying to build a relationship with him. Written by
KGF Vissers

Technical Specs

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Did You Know?

Goofs

In the opening scene we see Hank staring at a computer screen, trying to write something. However, the open screen is clearly a blank page in Adobe Reader, noticeable by the gray bar on the left with the icons. Adobe Reader is not for composing files. See more »

Quotes

Al Moody:
[seeing a guy who looks like Tom Cruise]
I liked him in that Vietnam movie. He played a good cripple.
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Frequently Asked Questions

User Reviews

California Son is the high point of Californication's first year, mainly because of its fearless portrayal of the lowest aspects of Hank Moody's character. It's bold, it's outrageous, and of course it's incredibly hilarious.

Just how low do you think a guy like Hank can sink? Well, how about this: after hearing his father Al (Mark Margolis) has passed away, he flat out refuses to go to the funeral. Okay, so he and the old man weren't on the best of the terms (the only one who always got along with him was Karen), but still - it doesn't justify going to bed with a prostitute (especially when you don't have the money to pay her).

The episode moves freely between flashbacks of Al Moody's rare visits to L.A. and people's memories about him in the present. Margolis is a great presence, his determination acting as a clear counterbalance to the more decadent approach to life Duchovny's character has, but it's the today section that really stands out, highlighting just how unbearably (and amusingly) flawed the show's sex-driven protagonist really is. Furthermore, what's not to love about dialogue like Hank and Charlie's conversation about Al? "He was a good man." "No, he wasn't. He used to say you looked like a walking penis.". Priceless

8 of 9 people found this review helpful.
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